Parole of ex-police officer who killed his three children to be reviewed

The parole of former Claremont police officer Marius van der Westhuizen, who was jailed for the 2006 murder of his three children, will be reviewed, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said on Thursday

Van der Westhuizen, who was acting station commander at Claremont Police Station, in 2006 shot his three children in front of his wife Charlotte at their home in Brackenfell, in the Western Cape. In 2011, the Supreme Court sentenced him to 24 years in prison.

After three attempts, Van der Westhuizen appeared before the Parole Board and Correctional Supervision (CSPB) at the Malmesbury Correctional Centre last month where he was granted parole as of 31 July, News24 reported at the time.

Parole review

DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the department and the Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards (CSPB) have studied Van der Westhuizen’s parole report and it will now be put under review.

“This decision implies that the previously scheduled parole placement date of 31 July 2024 is now irrelevant as a review process is to be initiated following Section 77(1) of the Correctional Services Act, 111 of 1998.

According to this section, a Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board will be constituted by members drawn from the National Council of Correctional Services and it is to be chaired by a Judge,” Nxumalo said.

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Interests of justice

Nxumalo added that the Department believes it is fair and in the interest of justice to scrutinise the process followed and the assessment reports in the profile of Van der Westhuizen.

“As mandated by Section 75(8) of the Correctional Services Act, referring this matter for a review by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board suspends any date of placement for inmate Van der Westhuizen.”

At the time of the tragic murders, Van der Westhuizen shot 16-year-old Bianca who was disabled, five-year-old Marius and 21-month-old Antoinette in their beds with his service pistol.

1/4 This is ex-cop Marius Van Der Westhuizen. On July 28, 2006, he shot and killed his three children: Bianca (almost 17 years old), who had cerebral palsy; Marius Eben (5 years old); and Antoinette (21 months old), in front of their mother, Charlotte van der Westhuizen.

He… pic.twitter.com/nE954wKy19

— Ian Cameron (@IanCameron23) June 20, 2024

Earlier he had confronted Charlotte, also a police officer, demanding she choose between her job and her family.

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